Hierophant
Background The non-descript man sat in the plush chair in the elaborate dining room of the Hotel Bel-Air. He inhaled the aroma of his cafe au lait then took a sip of the very expensive blend. Somebody rich and important had paid to meet him. A limousine complete with wet bar, jacuzzi, and a masseuse picked him up from his penthouse apartment. And, in fact, he found that the loan that he had taken out last month was paid up. Leland pondered upon who it was. Would he get a big role at last? He hadn't really sought out any in his career, to be honest. He was a character actor, and a good one. He knew he was a good one. Most of the time producers called him up to offer him a role that they thought he fit well, always a supporting role, but each time he had fit it well. But he hadn't even heard from his agent for two weeks. His wife Jeanne said that she heard a rumor going around that his agent had died of a heart attack recently. Jeanne used a different agent at the same agency... something about avoiding conflicts of interest, so maybe Jeanne heard something from her guy. Did his agent die? Well if he did, someone should have told Leland. A tall middle-aged man with graying-brown hair walked in. Funny," Leland thought as he tried to scan the man's mind. I didn't notice him. "It would not do well for our first meeting, if you were to read my mind." The man had an air of extreme self-assurance as he spoke. "Now let us discuss a role that I have to offer you." A wave of the imperious man's hand brought a wine glass into his hand, full with some sort of very clear red. He took a sip and then spoke, "Your acting ability is only secondary to the reason that I am trying to sign you for this role. You have much more important abilities that you do not use to your fullest potential. I am certain that your infallible memory is a great aid whenever you need knowledge to act as this character or that, but there is more to do with it. I assume that you remember everything." Leland was somewhat perplexed with this man, whose mind he could not read and who was sipping a glass of wine that had not existed a mere half minute earlier. But what the man said was true. Leland could remember the birthing room's lights and the words of the doctors when he was born. He could even remember the sound of his mother's heartbeat from when he was still in her womb. He didn't always have such a good memory. That came about when he was a teenager. For an answer to the man, Leland simply nodded in affirmation. "Well, I would like to offer you a role, the role of The Heirophant. In this role, you will make the most of your abilities," the man paused. He smiled and said, "Indeed, you may think of me as the producer and director as well as your agent. Of course, I am, in many ways, also the studio for I will pay you well for this role. You will never need to worry about paying for your lavish lifestyle." "Will I still be able to act?" Leland asked. "But of course." The Emperor said. "If need be, I could even arrange for you the roles that you desire..." Personality and Motivations Leland Orser is a first rate character actor. He could never be a lead actor or leader, but fits well in the role of support actor or right-hand man. With regard to TAROT, he is The Emperor's right hand man for two reasons. First, because of The Heirophant's trust of The Emperor, he is one of the few members of Tarot's Major Arcana whom the Emperor has little suspicion. But, perhaps more than that, the wealth of knowledge that he holds helps to facilitate The Emperor's control over the vast secret organization. Orser likes to lead the high life, spending more than his take from acting jobs. He relies on TAROT to provide cash for that difference. He loves acting, even if he will likely never get a lead role, and sometimes worries that his activities with TAROT might one day cause him to lose his actor's credentials. Furthermore, Leland is a good actor, which in combination with his vast array of knowledge, suits well for him taking any type of role assigned. He is very happily married to actress Jeanne Tripplehorn, and is a devoted husband and father when he's not out being a supervillain, something that he really doesn't consider himself to be in any case. Quote "Just tell me what you need to know." Powers and Abilities The basis of The Heirophant's powers is control of knowledge. Anything that he has ever sensed, he remembers. It's all stored in his memory. He can delve into his target's thoughts to find information that he needs, and then he can deconstruct the target's mental activity. The Heirophant will never be on a solo mission because of his lack of physical combat ability. His role in such actions are always in support. Appearance Leland Orser is a fairly non-descript man, being of average build and height with dark hair and eyes. His "everyman" look is one of the things that makes him such an amazing character actor, as he can fit into nearly any look a role calls for. On TAROT missions, he will wear a high priced, tailored business suit and tie with a simple silk mask covering his eyes. He's never bothered with a costume, and The Emperor seems just fine with this. Category:Characters Category:American Characters Category:Villains Category:American Villains Category:Male Characters Category:Male Villains Category:Mentalists Category:Tarot Villains